Too Much Of Not Enough
by Nickket
Summary: R/D -It's the trio's final year at Hogwarts. Maybe. Voldemort has gone. Probably. Lots of fighting, pashing, confusion, heartbreak and potatoes. Indubitably. UPDATED Chapter 3 up!! *bleat..subconcious messages* Read me. You want to, honest.
1. Default Chapter

Too Much Of Not Enough ~  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah. I own it. I also own God, and the artist formally known as Prince.  
  
Also, this is a Ron/Draco fic. It will be SLASHY SLASHY SLASHY eventually. Don't like it. Don't read it.  
  
I love constructive critisism, however, flames will be mocked, and mocked, and mocked some more  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 -  
  
"Oh honestly Ron" Hermione huffed, tapping her foot in what Ron considered a slightly loud and obvious manner "Hurry up will you? We can't be late on our first day! McGonagall would have a fit. Ron?! Roooooooooooooon!!?"  
  
Ron Weasley sighed, and while balancing his well loved suitcase in one hand, tried to push an over excited little owl into it's cage "C'mon Pig you silly bastard, get in. You heard Herm, we'll miss the train"  
  
Somehow, he managed to shove the squawking ball of feathers into the cage, and slam the little brass door behind it. He ran out into the hallway, flushed, where a bemused looking Harry Potter and an exasperated Hermione Granger were waiting for him.  
  
"About time" Hermione chastised, hands on hips "Imagine if we were late!"  
  
Ron smiled, discreetly eyeing the all but identical gold badges both Harry and Hermione were wearing, and trying to ignore the faint pang of envy in the pit of his stomach. He hoisted his trunk awkwardly over his shoulder;  
  
"I imagine it would be quite a disgrace if the head boy and girl weren't on time," he said "But it doesn't matter if a lowly student like me is late now, does it?"  
  
"Of course it does, you're our friend" Hermione teased, pretending she hadn't noticed the tiny amount of bitterness in Ron's voice. "I don't want you to make us look bad"  
  
Harry chuckled, and reached over, taking Pigwidgeon's bouncing cage from Ron's hands "It matters a lot Ron, well, at least to us. Besides, you know Snape will use any reason fathomable to take points off Gryffindor."  
  
Ron nodded glumly in agreement, Harry was right, Snape had always held some incomparable hatred towards the trio, and had taken much pleasure in treating them unfairly. He felt a surge of annoyance, and was about to call his Professor a few choice expletives, but Hermione let out a growl of impatience "You can badmouth the rest of the Hogwarts teaching staff later! Let's go! Sirius is waiting for us in the car!"  
  
They all bustled quickly through the house, (Ron tripped over a crumpled rug, and came very close to being pinned under his suitcase like a turtle, this caused Harry to laugh mercilessly) and out the front door where Molly Weasley and Sirius Black were waiting for them. Immediately Mrs Weasley began to fuss over Harry and Hermione, - she kept touching their head boy and girl badges affectionately, and shooting pointed looks at Ron, which he tried his best to ignore. He knew his mother cared about him, head boy or not, but he felt a little embarrassed nonetheless. Evidently, so was Harry, a red tinge appearing in his cheeks, but Hermione didn't seem to notice and proceeded to tell Mrs Weasley how as head girl, she was determined to "ensure all students kept the high standards of Hogwarts undiminished".  
  
Ron shrugged at Harry and walked over to the khaki green Gemini with Sirius. In Ron's opinion it was a very sad looking car; it kind of smelled funny and parts kept falling off; but Harry and Sirius were so proud of it - their "Muggle mobile" as they called it - he didn't dare say anything. Anyway, they both deserved whatever happiness was afforded them, after everything they'd been through the past few years.  
  
Scratch that, for most of Harry's life.  
  
"Looking forward to your last year?" Sirius asked him offhandedly, trying vainly put Ron's large suitcase into the small trunk.  
  
Ron shrugged, as he watched his suitcase mysteriously shrink "I s'pose so. I'd like to get it all over and done with so I can go over and work with Charlie in Romania or something brilliant like that"  
  
"Well, then you better do well in your NEWT's this year," Mrs Weasley said, only half-scolding. She pulled Ron into a big hug. "Now you know your father sends his love" she said, squeezing most of the air out of his lungs ".he'd be here to see you off if he didn't have to take care of that matter with Fred and George". Her face creased in slight annoyance as she said this, but Sirius, Harry and Hermione knew better than to ask questions, and simply exchanged a few amused looks. Fred and George Weasley had established quite an infamous reputation in the wizarding world over the past year.  
  
"Yeah Mum" Ron said trying to squirm out of her embrace. "I know."  
  
"And Ginny sent a owl from Beauxbaton's" She continued, not lessening her grasp any "She wanted you to know she saw Fleur Dellacoo the other day"  
  
"Delocour" Ron corrected, reddening slightly. Even after these years the mention of her name brought back the inevitable embarrassment. He tried not thinking about it  
  
Mrs Weasley nodded "That's right, apparently she's engaged now, some young man named Krum."  
  
"WHAT?" Hermione and Ron yelled simultaneously.  
  
Mrs Weasley looked slightly taken aback "Er.she didn't give any specifics"  
  
Hermione and Ron both looked completely astounded, while Harry was having trouble keeping himself from doubling over with hysterical laughter.  
  
"Well" Sirius interjected, smiling "We'd better be off"  
  
"Of course" Molly nodded, and while Harry pushed a dazed Hermione into the little green car, she gave Ron a last kiss on the cheek "Now, do try hard this year Ron, and be good!"  
  
Ron nodded emphatically and pulled himself out of his mothers grasp "Don't worry Mum, I'll keep the Weasley reputation intact"  
  
"That's exactly what worries me!" Molly Weasley yelled, watching her lanky, red haired son squeeze into the back of the car, smiling mischievously at his friends.  
  
  
  
The trip to platform nine and three quarters passed relatively uneventfully, except for one moment when there was a loud clunk and Ron had been convinced the old car was going to split in two. Hermione had chatted cheerfully to Ron in the back of the car about how wonderful it was that Ginny had got a place on the Satorn program (a sort of muggle student exchange program for wizards), and how great an experience it would be for her at Beauxbatons. He noticed she didn't mention any more about Fleur and Viktor though.  
  
When they reached the station Sirius walked them right onto the platform, and Ron noticed when Harry said his farewells, he kept shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot and looking around as though he didn't want to leave. It occurred to Ron that perhaps Harry wasn't looking forward to going to Hogwarts as much as he used to. It was understandable, Sirius was like the father he never, but was always supposed to have had. After Scab- Peter Pettigrew had been found, and his name cleared, they'd never been happier. They did practically everything together. They were like best friends, but differently to what Ron and Hermione had. Like brothers perhaps. Ron felt a little pang in his stomach as he watched the two of them, both unwilling to leave, and found himself wishing Sirius would just turn into that big black dog again and come with them.  
  
Hermione gave him a playful shove, waking him from his stupor, and smiled at him "The year will be over before we know it" she said gently, and he returned her smile gratefully. Hermione could bug him like no one else but, sometimes, Ron thought, she really got it.  
  
~*~  
  
The Hogwarts express clattered noisily along the tracks. Ron in the midst of his boredom exhaled forcefully, creating a small patch of fog on the train window. With the meticulous concentration of a small child he traced his name on the cool glass, and then leant back against his seat to oversee his handiwork.  
  
Hermione looked up from her book, Apparition Made Easy, and over at Ron's name on the window. "Congratulations" she said dryly "you've learnt to spell you own name, I expect in no time you'll be able to count to ten"  
  
Ron snorted "You're a bloody comedian Herm, you are"  
  
They exchanged mock dirty looks. Harry smiled, was used to this kind of bickering between the two of them, although he'd somewhat stupidly thought they might have grown out of it eventually. "Hey Ron" he said, throwing his open copy of Witch Weekly at him. "Check out the new Lightmaster model, apparently it outstrips the Firebolt Five by a good sixteen k's, aswell as the new built in auto-dive."  
  
"I know" Ron replied, sighing in a sated kind of way, and fingering the picture of the gold flecked broom wistfully. "I'm saving every Knut for this one, I'll own it if it's the last thing I ever do".  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes emphatically "Why on earth would you want to spend such an obscene amount of money on a broom, when you have a perfectly good Nimban 2000?"  
  
"Nimbus" Harry corrected. "And that's practically the most ancient model broom these days"  
  
"So what?" Hermione continued "It goes alright doesn't it? I mean, honestly you two, why do you absolutely have to have the latest brand?"  
  
Ron sighed happily, still staring adoringly at the picture of the broom "Because it's perfect."  
  
Hermione mumbled something that sounded vaguely like ".could feed five thousand homeless house elves" She grabbed her bag and ruffled through it till she found a Muggle sweet, and began to unwrap it.  
  
Ron looked up suddenly; a sly smile creeping across his face "Well well well, I reckon you're in a bit of a bad mood Herm."  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, popping the sweet into her mouth, daring him to say something else. Harry looked a bit scared, and reached over for the witch weekly, pretending that he suddenly found that article about the benefits of wormwood on acne extremely interesting.  
  
"Well." Ron continued, his mouth twitching slightly "It seems to me you've been rather cross ever since Mum mentioned the engagement of Viktor Krum and Fleur Delocour.it wouldn't be a case of the green eyed monster causing all this crankiness would it?"  
  
"Oh shut up Ron, please" Hermione retorted "You make my head hurt from your preposterousness"  
  
"Right" Ron said in a manner that he thought settled everything.  
  
Harry shot him a knowing look.  
  
"I mean really, is that the best you could come up with?" Hermione continued "It's not as though I even liked him tremendously, I haven't even talked to him since before, well since."  
  
"Before Voldemort" Harry finished for her, flicking the magazine nervously in his hands. Ron flinched.  
  
There was an eerie silence in the carriage then. That name still caused nervousness amongst the strongest wizarding folk. Even after all these years they had trouble speaking about what had happened with Voldemort, and the death eaters, and Cedric Diggory. Ron hadn't ever been able to fully shake the image of Harry re-appearing with Cedric's limp body in his arms. And when Harry had been lying there, not moving, he'd thought.well.he'd thought he was dead too. He felt a chill in his stomach, and stared blankly at the scenery flying past the train windows.  
  
He couldn't forget his father's absences that summer either. The fear every wizarding family had felt. As thick as fog. And then it had been over, as quickly as it had started.  
  
"Well there is no need to worry about him anymore." Hermione said, sensing the animosity in the room.  
  
Ron and Harry looked at each other.  
  
Hermione sighed impatiently "He's gone! You both know it aswell as I do, he's been gone for almost three years, and he's not coming back. Voldemort's gone!"  
  
"That's what they thought the first ti-" Harry started, but Ron intervened  
  
"Hermione is right Harry, he's gone" he said, smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring matter "Dad told me, Dumbledore made sure of it"  
  
Harry nodded, returning the smile. But Ron noticed him absently touch the lightning shaped scar on his forehead.  
  
Ron tried to think of something more reassuring to say, but he'd never really been good at this kind of stuff, so he patted his friend on the shoulder in what he considered an extremely pitiful manner. Harry half smiled and then everything suddenly went black.  
  
"Oh great.."  
  
"What.. is going on?" Said Harry's voice from beside him  
  
Ron remembered the last time this had happened "You don't suppose that its Dementors again do you?"  
  
"Don't be absurd, the train hasn't stopped"  
  
"I realise that Hermione"  
  
"Whose hand is that?"  
  
"Sorry.just looking for HA! Lumos!" Harry's wand lit up slightly, casting a greenish light over the three of them "That's better"  
  
Ron looked at the wand protruding from his pocket, and felt a little foolish that he hadn't thought of the most obvious solution. He looked curiously at the door of their compartment  
  
"I think I might go and see what's going on, eh?" he said opening the door, and moving out into the dark hallway before Hermione could protest. It was eerie out in the small corridor, everyone seemed to have gone quiet in lieu of the blackout, and the only small amount of light was the blue haze from the half-moon. He walked quickly down the hall in the direction of the teachers' carriage and was just rounding the corner when he collided into another human being with a loud "oeuf". Ron looked up quickly at the figure he had just bumped in to, but it wasn't until he started to speak that he recognized the cold, cruel drawl.  
  
"Weasley, what do you think you are doing walking through the train in the dark?" The voice growled at him.  
  
"I could ask you the same question Malfoy" Ron shot back, annoyed. His eyes were starting to adjust now and he could see those familiar unfriendly gray eyes looking resentfully at him through the darkness "Trying to stir up trouble no doubt"  
  
"I wanted to see find out what was going on" Draco retorted. "You know as well as I do the Hogwarts express is enchanted, this is no ordinary blackout." He smirked at Ron vindictively "It's something substantial.and most likely something unpleasant"  
  
"You can only hope!" Ron bit back.  
  
"Scared?" Draco replied, moving towards Ron threateningly "It's not a pretty thought is it Weasel? Because you know that you, and Potter and that Mudblood, and your entire destitute family would be the first to go".  
  
"You make me sick" Ron spat angrily, shoving Draco and catching him off guard; him tumbling backwards. Ron laughed, forgetting his anger at the sight of Draco sprawled on the floor "You're so bloody pathetic Malfoy.  
  
Abruptly, the lights came back on, and Draco got up quickly, scowling, a flicker of tangible emotion fleeting in his eyes before he moved at Ron as though he was going to hit him. But a door slammed, and he dropped his arm. People were beginning to move about again, and Ron smiled smugly as he realized Draco wasn't going to try anything with possible witnesses around.  
  
"You'll pay for that Weasley" he hissed angrily as he walked away.  
  
~*~  
  
By the time they'd reached Hogwarts, Hermione had finished her book, Harry claimed he had found a new freckle on Ron's face and wanted to call it "Harryovia", and Ron was so hungry all he could think about was the opening feast. He was quite sure he could devour a fully-grown Norwegian Ridgeback.  
  
"It's nice to be back isn't it? " Harry said, smiling at the familiar surroundings. Ron agreed silently, he wasn't sure how he'd feel at the end of the year when they'd be leaving forever.  
  
As they filed into the great hall, he found himself feeling quite resentful of the first years and their sorting ceremony; he wondered if he should take Dumbledore aside and ask if it could wait. "I need food.I'll expire if I don't get it soon" he whispered as he sat down next to Harry at the Gryffindor table. His stomach rumbled in agreement. Hermione sat opposite the boys and smiled excitedly at them. Ron snickered. Hermione's love for school was an unrelenting source of amusement (and wonder) for him.  
  
Finally Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly and a hush fell over the great hall. Ron was kind of glad because Seamus had been telling him in vast detail how his muggle father had taken him camping over the holidays and all the delicious food they had cooked and Ron had been staring at his own hand, disturbingly close to testing the theory that everything tastes like chicken.  
  
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts' Dumbledore began " I trust you have all had fun and fulfilling holidays, and are ready to begin a year of hard work-"  
  
Ron groaned slightly and Hermione kicked him under the table. She had unfortunately misjudged how far away she was from him and her foot met his knee with full force, prompting a loud "OW!" to escape from his lips. Everyone immediately turned to look at the source of the interruption, and there were a few loud sniggers, especially from the direction of the Slytherin table. Ron felt his ears going red and mumbled a quick "sorry" before staring at his hands, wondering if it was possible to get expelled on your first day back.  
  
Hermione smiled apologetically.  
  
"Now that Mr Weasley is finished." Dumbledore continued, in what wasn't an entirely unfriendly manner, ".let me aquaint you with the newest member of our staff; Professor Ernestina Lintel who is replacing Professor Snape in Potions. I am sure you will all make her feel most welcome."  
  
"Snape finally got the Defense against the dark arts post!" Harry snorted, gesturing towards their greasy haired Professor, who was beaming proudly and looking quite out of character.  
  
But Ron wasn't that interested for once. When he has entered he had been so pre-occupied with food he hadn't noticed the new Professor, and was now carefully eyeing her over. She was partially slouched over in her seat, looking completely nonplussed and Ron thought she looked a lot younger that the rest of the staff. Perhaps around Charlie or Bill's age. She also had short uneven black hair, and from what he could see under the hat, what looked like white streaks. Hermione was also looking at the woman with much interest, and Ron noticed her nose wrinkle slightly at what he assumed must have been the skunk type hairstyle.  
  
Dumbledore finished up telling the first years about the forbidden areas and finally turned and gestured towards the Gryfinndor table. Ron momentarily thought he was going to say something more about his interruption but quickly realized who he was gesturing to,  
  
"Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are head boy and girl this year.. They represent you, you can talk to them about any queries that do not need to be assisted to by other staff members, as well as assisting to duties throughout the school" Dumbledore said, smiling as they made their way to the top of the room. "They will sit with the staff for the feast tonight.I know they will make us all very proud"  
  
There was a lot of cheering from the Gryffindors as two chairs were pulled up to the staff table. None whooped louder than Ron himself did.  
  
Hermione sat down next to the new teacher looking like she was about to burst with pride.but any happiness Harry might have felt was quickly extinguished as he realized he was sitting next to Snape. Ron chuckled as he looked at the two of them, unable to decide who looked more disgusted by the arrangements.  
  
Finally the first years began the sorting ceremony. There was lots of talking and applause, as the houses were announced, but Ron felt a little awkward.he usually debated with Hermione and Harry right about now about who would go in which house.but there was just two empty spaces either side of him. As much as he hated to admit it, he felt left out and alone. I mean, there was Neville and Seamus and Dean, who were all good for conversation, but he felt slightly miserable and even a little annoyed that he was without his two best friends for the opening feast. He was beginning to figure his first day back couldn't get any worse when he looked up to see a familiar, and entirely unfriendly face.  
  
That bloody slimy git Draco Malfoy was looking at him from across the room, no longer looking angry or embarrassed after their incident on the train, but with a huge sneer on his face. As though he knew how miserable he was feeling, and was enjoying every minute of it. Ron scowled back at him, and looked up to see "Collins, Alison" being sorted into "SLYTHERIN!". Poor little bugger. He wondered if she knew how bad she'd just got it. He looked back towards the Slytherins to see Malfoy still staring at him with that contemptuous smile smeared across his ugly face. Ron began to forget about feeling sorry for himself; the anger was burning up inside him now. He wanted to run across the great hall and wipe that grin off his sodding face once and for all. He began to picture creative ways of ripping his head off, one that included an artichoke and chopsticks. He settled for making a rude hand gesture at him instead, scandalizing several Hufflepuff first years in the process.  
  
Draco just smiled more. 'Demented little bastard' Ron thought, looking away again, his face burning, "The prick is enjoying this'. He shook his head slightly and tried to listen to the Sorting ceremony. Dean Thomas's little sister was sorted into Gryffindor. Ron clapped and smiled, and talked to Neville about Toad food, and waved at Harry and Hermione, and temporarily forgot about Draco Malfoy. Perhaps that's why he did it. Apparently no one just ignores a Malfoy when he's trying to bug the hell out of you.  
  
It happened as "Yueng, Jack" was sorted into "RAVENCLAW!" and the Feast had appeared on the tables in front of them. Ron had sighed happily. Finally! Food! He put a chicken leg in his mouth and then.  
  
~THWACK~  
  
Half the Gryffindor table stopped eating suddenly.but the rest of the hall hadn't noticed that something round and soft had just hit Ron in the side of the head. Bewildered Ron looked at the broken roast potato on the ground beside him, and put a hand to his red hair, where there were bits of white mush stuck in between several strands. Finally he looked in the direction of where the offending potato had come to see several 7th year Slytherins clutching their sides in hysterics  
  
"That." Ron began as he got up forcefully, knocking the rest of his plate to the floor with a clatter, his eyes flashing with murderous wrath. Neville tried desperately to grab his arm, but it was too late. Ron tore across the room in a matter of seconds, flying at Draco, and both of them pitching down the side of the Slytherin table with a huge bang. The entire hall erupted with noise.  
  
"Get. The. Fuck. Off. Weasley!" Draco yelled at him furiously, whacking his arms against his chest and face. But the Gryffindor was bigger, and it didn't help that he was also enraged. Ron punched at him, hitting his cheekbone with a sickening crack, then grabbed a handful of food from Draco's plate and shoving it forcefully into his mouth. Draco made a choking noise and got one well placed shot, punching Ron hard in the nose which made him fall sideward, gasping in pain. Ron swore, and was about to hit Draco again when a loud voice boomed "STOP IT NOW! STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!"  
  
It was Dumbledore, he was staring down at them angrily, and the boys, angry as they both were, knew better than to disobey him. Draco spat out the remaining peas that had been shoved in his mouth, glaring at everyone around, daring them to laugh. Ron himself paid little attention and held a hand to his nose in a weak effort to stop the blood pouring from it. With the anger fading, he was beginning to realise the gravity of the situation he had just put himself in due to his out-of-control temper, and felt a little ill at the prospect.  
  
He and Draco picked their battered-and-food-covered-selves up off the floor and stood in front of their angry headmaster. Dumbledore spoke slowly and sternly "I do not know what caused this outburst, nor do I care much, but I am extremely disappointed in both of you. As senior students you should know better than to desecrate this feast with such violence, and set such a bad example for your fellow students".  
  
Draco cleared his throat, and lifted his chin slightly "Sir, its not my fault. Weasley-"  
  
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore interjected "Both of you are to leave the hall now and go straight to Madame Pomfrey. You will remain there until I join you after the feast, to decide whether or not you shall remain at Hogwarts this year". 


	2. Chapter 2

Too Much Of Not Enough ~  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah. I own it. I also own God, and the artist formally known as Prince.  
  
Also, this is a Ron/Draco fic. It will be SLASHY SLASHY SLASHY eventually. Don't like it. Don't read it.  
  
I love constructive critisism, however, flames will be mocked, and mocked, and mocked some more  
  
  
  
Chapter 2 -  
  
______  
  
______  
  
"What happened at the feast was inexcusable" Dumbledore said sternly "A your age you should not only know better, but should be trying to set an appropriate example for the other students"  
  
There was a pause and Ron stared miserably at his feet, noticing a small amount of gravy was smeared on his left boot. They were in the infirmary; himself, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Draco. Madame Pomfrey had left after smearing some foul smelling green paste on his battered face, which Ron thought really only added to the humiliation.  
  
Draco spoke up, his voice unnaturally calm "It wasn't my fault Professor Dumbledore. Weasley attacked me. I have no idea why. I think he's jealous that my father got the Head ministry job over his father"  
  
Ron looked up sharply, his face burning "That is NOT why, you miserable rat bas-"  
  
"Ronald Weasley!" McGonagall interjected "That's enough!"  
  
Snape stepped forward, looking at Ron in a perversely amused manner "Clearly Headmaster, this boy has serious anger problems, he should be expelled before he starts attacking other students"  
  
Dumbledore paused and Ron felt his stomach drop. He wanted to take out his wand and hex Draco and Snape both; turn them into the rats that they were and hand them over to Crookshanks. At least then it might be worth the expulsion.  
  
Ron raised his green splotched face to look at his headmaster, who looked back at him questioningly.  
  
"Why did you attack Mr Malfoy?" He asked, his voice sounding tired.  
  
"He, uh, threw.a pota- ..some food at me" Ron spluttered, realising as he did so, how ridiculous that sounded. He might as well have said 'he gave me a wedgie' or 'he smells funny and I don't like it'. He sighed and fingered the sides of his robes. If he wasn't expelled before, he was now.  
  
Draco seemed to be thinking the same thing, and the sides of his lips twitched smugly "It could have been anyone, lots of people don't like Weasley"  
  
Ron glared at him "How does it feel to choke on peas Malfoy?" he snapped.  
  
Draco's face lost its arrogance "Watch it Weasley or I'll-"  
  
"What?" Ron bit back "Beat me to death with some broccoli?"  
  
Draco snarled and reached for his wand, but Snape and McGonagall had theirs pointed directly at the two of them.  
  
"Don't touch it Mr Malfoy!" McGonagall said, her voice deathly serious.  
  
Snape nodded and turned to face Dumbledore "Have you seen enough yet Headmaster? Mr Weasley is a troublemaker-"  
  
"I have seen enough, thankyou Severus" Dumbledore's face was bent in thought, his eyes flicking between the two boys. Ron wondered what his mother was going to do to him when he arrived home, and felt a little nauseous. He straightened up. If he was going, he'd go with his pride intact. He looked miserably at the green paste on his hand where Draco had bitten him. Well, sort of intact anyway.  
  
"I'll go pack my bags then" he said sombrely, starting to move. But before he'd taken two steps Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"There will be no need for that at this time Mr Weasley" he said, and Ron started. Surely he couldn't mean-  
  
"I have thought of a different punishment for you and Mr Malfoy" Dumbledore continued. "There is a new wing on the third floor that has recently turned up, it happens from time to time, every hundred years or so Hogwarts renovates itself. Mr Filch has been in need of help to clean and fix up that area for some time, and I think you two would be the perfect candidates to do so".  
  
Snape clearly thought this was not an appropriate punishment, his face contorting in repugnance "Headmaster, I hardly think."  
  
"Yes, I'd noticed that" McGonagall replied quickly.  
  
Dumbledore ignored them and continued to address Ron and Draco.  
  
"You will report to Mr Filch for four hours after class for the next two weeks. On the weekends I expect the same, however you can organise a time with Argus that suits the both of you. At the beginning of each session you will hand over your wands to your house heads, as evidently you cannot be trusted to act reasonably around one another. Am I understood?"  
  
  
  
___  
  
***  
  
Ron could see Harry doing the calculations in his head. "Fifty-four-!"  
  
"Fifty-six" Hermione corrected, without looking up from her book.  
  
"Fifty-six hours of cleaning with Filch and Malfoy!" Harry continued, his nose wrinkling up in disgust "That's.That's." he paused, shaking his head "its sick is what it is."  
  
Neville nodded in agreement "Worst punishment ever, sounds like"  
  
The four of them were sitting by the fire in the Gryffindor common room. They were all on the floor facing each other, except for Hermione who was perched on the side of a chair, apparently riveted by the specifics of dragon reproduction.  
  
"Yeah.I s'pose" Ron said slowly, chewing on a fizzing whizbee "I'm just glad I wasn't expelled"  
  
By the look on Neville and Harry's faces, it seemed as though they couldn't decide which was worse. The fire crackled loudly and Hermione finally put her book aside, looking at Ron with an expression he couldn't interpret.  
  
"You know, I really thought you would be" she said "Why on earth did you attack Malfoy like that?"  
  
"Potato" Neville said helpfully.  
  
Hermione waved him away dismissively "I know about all that, but Ron, it was just a bit of food, why risk expulsion over it?"  
  
Ron shrugged helplessly. There were reasons he could think of. She and Harry hadn't been there to hold him back. He was tired. He was hungry. That stuff Malfoy had said on the train. None of them were good excuses. He'd just done it. He didn't want to think about what the real reasons might be. It made him feel sick.  
  
Ron shrugged again, and Hermione shook her head, exasperated.  
  
"Who cares about reasons?" Harry said finally "People have been wanting to do that to Malfoy for years."  
  
Neville chuckled "You should have seen the look on his face when Ron shoved that food in his mouth."  
  
Harry laughed, but Ron didn't. He felt confused and irritated, and wished they'd stop talking about it. He finally forced out a small laugh, which he thought sounded more like he was being strangled to death. "I'm really tired, I might make it an early night." he said getting up.  
  
He was halfway up the stairs before Hermione caught him, grabbing his arm gently. Ron turned to look at her; her dark eyes were full of concern. "What's going on Ron? Is it the ministry thing? Because everyone knows Lucius Malfoy scared the council into voting for him, there is no use-"  
  
"IT'S NOT BLOODY THAT!" Ron said angrily. Hermione looked taken aback  
  
Ron sighed "Well, its not that exactly"  
  
He hesitated, looking around distractedly, then grabbed Hermione's hand, pulling her after him and leading her up to the boys dormitory He scanned the room to check it was empty before locking the door behind him, he spun to face her "you can't tell anyone Herm, not Harry, not anyone!"  
  
"Ron, who do you-"  
  
"Promise me" Ron said firmly, gripping her hand. There was urgency in his voice. Hermione nodded silently and sat down on Ron's bed while he paced in front of her, biting at his nails, his faced scrunched up in thought.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy didn't win the vote. Dad did"  
  
"WHAT?" Hermione said incredulously "How is that possible? It said in the Daily Prophet that Mr Malfoy won easily..."  
  
Ron looked around nervously, and lowered his voice "Just, let me finish okay?" Hermione nodded again. Ron was so nervous it was tangible; he kept fiddling with his nails, and averting his gaze. His hairline was beginning to dampen.  
  
"Lucius blackmailed us" Ron said quickly, his breathing slightly ragged "He knows something about. something, not good. He told Dad unless he got the position as the Head of the Ministry he'd tell everyone.about it."  
  
Ron raked a hand through his hair "I wasn't supposed to know. Everyone was asleep when Lucius came by. I woke up for .a glass of water. I didn't know, I heard mum crying first .and then I heard them talking. Dad said he'd just tell everyone that Lucius won the vote, so there'd be no suspicion."  
  
Ron trailed off, looking out one of the windows. His skin looked especially pale. Hermione went over to him and placed her trembling hand in his. He turned his head and smiled thinly at her. "It's not her fault you know.she thinks it is.but he's to blame, I know it.."  
  
Hermione was almost too afraid to ask "Ron, what is it? What happened?"  
  
Ron swallowed. He'd started this; he had to tell her the rest.  
  
"Ginny" he spluttered finally.  
  
Hermione raised a hand to her mouth "Oh no, is she OK? He didn't threaten her?"  
  
Ron laughed hollowly at the prospect. He'd have to start from the beginning, or else Hermione would be guessing all night.  
  
"A little while after I was born, after you-know-who was defeated.my Grandpa, my mums Dad passed away.and mum was sad. More sad than usual, cause she'd just had me. There's a word for it I think."  
  
"Post natal depression?" Hermione asked softly, and Ron nodded.  
  
"One day when Dad was at work she got really sad, and told Bill to look after us all while she went to visit Grandpa's grave. Bill was only little himself." Ron hesitated, trying to find the words ".Well, she went to the pub instead of the graveyard, and was drinking a bit. A lot actually. Lucius turned up and she started talking to him about stuff. I don't know what stuff. But she was drunk, and sad and he wasn't" Ron said this angrily, setting his jaw "Lucius took her home with him."  
  
Hermione gasped softly, tightening her grip on Ron's hand.  
  
"When Mum realised what had happened, she was really disgusted and upset and she went home and told Dad everything" Ron continued "He said it was okay, and they got her help for her. He really loves mum- " his voice caught slightly and he cleared his throat "When Mum told him about Ginny he said everything would be alright he would raise her as his own and love her just the same and no one would know the difference. But Lucius knew. He knew. And now the arsehole is using it against us."  
  
"No wonder your Dad is so angry with Mr Malfoy" Hermione said quietly "To do .and now this blackmail, it's." She couldn't finish the sentence.  
  
"I hate him," Ron said resolutely  
  
"Do your parents know .that you.know?" Hermione asked carefully.  
  
"After I heard, what I did. I was mad, and the next day I confronted Dad about it, and he explained everything. He said he reckoned Lucius had alway fancied Mum a bit at school, but she was too poor for him. And then she met Dad, and it was too late. But then, all those years later when she was out of it like that, weak and vulnerable... he, he saw his chance..." Ron rubbed at his eyes angrily "Mum doesn't know that I know.I couldn't."  
  
Hermione paused, nodding understandingly. There was a knock on the dormitory door, but they both ignored it.  
  
"Does Draco know Ginny is his half sister?" Hermione asked quietly  
  
Ron pulled his hand away from Hermione's and crossed his arms across his chest "She's my sister" He turned to face her, his eyes hard "She's a Weasley, not a Malfoy"  
  
The knocking on the door became louder and more frequent.  
  
"Of course she is" Hermione said quickly, she nervously tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear "But, don't you think he and Ginny deserve-"  
  
"No" Ron said stonily "No I don't"  
  
There was a muffled yell and the door burst open abruptly. Neville and Harry came tumbling through the doorway. Ron gave Hermione a quick pointed look  
  
"Why didn't you let us in?" Neville said, picking himself up off the floor.  
  
Ron and Hermione began talking at the same time  
  
"I . uh."  
  
"Well you. see.we."  
  
"Its like this she."  
  
"um.."  
  
Harry was looking curiously between the two of them sitting closely together by the window, his eyes widened slightly in surprise and then a presumptuous grin spread across his face.  
  
"I think we may have interrupted something a little private Nev" Harry said, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice "A little.um, romantic"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes "You're as subtle as a brick Harry"  
  
Realisation finally dawned on Neville "Oh!" He said, chuckling "Well it's about bloody time Ron and you got it together, you've been flirting with each other for years!"  
  
Ron snorted with laughter, which he quickly disguised as a coughing fit. Hermione's mouth twitched, and she grabbed the hacking Ron by the arm and began to pull him out of the room  
  
"Yes well, best be going then" she said quickly "got snogging to do, and declarations of love and all that."  
  
Ron coughed harder, tears at the corners of his eyes now.  
  
"Ron, are you alright?" Harry asked, looking worried "Do you need some water?"  
  
Ron composed himself slightly, and looked up at his friend "All I need is Hermione" he deadpanned. This time Hermione began to cough violently and pulled Ron out of the room as fast as she could manage.  
  
  
  
  
  
___ ***  
  
Ron was into his fifth day working for Filch, and he was exhausted. Every day, straight after class, Draco and himself had been made to go to this old room and scrub and clean for hours, then have a late tea by themselves before going to sleep. They were supervised at all times. By Filch during their detention, and by either Snape or McGonagall while they were eating. Ron didn't mind too much. As far as he was concerned, the less he had to do with Malfoy, the better. They hadn't spoken two words to each other in the entire time; however there had been quite a few dirty looks and just as many rude hand gestures. Today they were painting, which ordinarily Ron might have enjoyed, except that the room was as big as a Quidditch stadium, and twice as high. He was tired and grumpy, and beginning to think he'd inhaled too much paint fumes. If he'd had his wand he could have painted the room in five seconds flat, he thought miserably.  
  
He was in the middle of painting a stone gargoyle when the door swung open with a bang; Ron jumped, yelping in fright. Draco snickered derisively. Madame Hooch was in the doorway; she looked flushed, and motioned to Filch before he could reprimand Draco. They spoke in hushed voices and Ron strained to hear, but couldn't, so he continued to paint and stare listlessly at the wall. How riveting my life is, he thought.  
  
Filch spoke up "The both of you keep painting, I have something to attend to with Madame Hooch here, and will be back shortly.." A unpleasant grin crept across his face "Either of you put so much as a toenail out of this door, and I will see to it that you are expelled" He slammed the door loudly, and Draco immediately dropped his brush on the floor and stretched his arms lazily, moving over towards Ron.  
  
"So Weasel, have your parents had to sell you for food yet?"  
  
"Shut up, you colossal prat" Ron replied, "See this?" He waved his paintbrush under Draco's nose "Side to side! Up down! Don't mess with a Karate kid!"  
  
Draco looked at Ron blankly "What the fuck are you talking about?"  
  
"Muggle movie" Ron replied, returning half-heartedly to his painting. Yeah. Paint fumes are fun.  
  
Draco shrugged and sat down on a wooden crate "It is true about what everyone is saying? " he asked  
  
Ron didn't reply. But Draco continued regardless.  
  
"About you and that mud blood Granger, are you in love?" His voice was full of sarcasm.  
  
"Why? Ron spat "Jealous?"  
  
Draco sniggered "Please! As if anyone would want a freckled stupid red- haired freak like you"  
  
Ron turned around and looked at Draco incredulously "I was talking about being jealous of me you moronic twat!"  
  
"I knew that" Draco said, slightly unnerved "I... was just... saying  
  
Ron began to speak when there was an almighty *BOOM* that shook the entire castle.  
  
"What the-?"  
  
He and Draco managed to exchange a nervous glance before the second *BOOM* hit. This one was so big it threw them to the ground. Ron fell backwards onto his right arm with a crunch and heard Draco yelp somewhere behind him. Dust and pieces of wood fell from the walls, and the lights flickered on and off around them. Finally it was over and there was nothing but silence.  
  
Ron sat up and shaking the dust out of his hair. What the hell had just happened? Fear was beginning to mount in his stomach. This was Hogwarts. Hogwarts was supposed to be safe. He looked around. There were still a few lit candles, so he could see all right. The floor was littered with debris. He turned to find Draco, who was lying on his side looking like he was in extreme pain.  
  
"Are you hurt? " He asked cautiously.  
  
Draco looked up at him "Actually I was just thinking really hard about my potions NEWT"  
  
"Oh, really?" Ron said, surprised.  
  
"No, not really you dumb fuck!" Draco replied angrily "I fell on something, there is something stuck in my arse!" Ron cringed, hoping Draco wasn't going to get hysterical and cry or anything. He'd heard about animals going feral and attacking their helpers when they were hurt, and he wasn't going to put that past Malfoy.  
  
He made his way around to have a look "I can't see what it is" Ron said, squinting at Draco's behind "there's too much blood, we'll have to go to Madame Pomfrey..."  
  
"Ok that's fine Weasley, except that there is obviously something downstairs that just set off two explosions" Draco said "We need to protect ourselves..."  
  
Ron looked around at the cans of paint and brushes, and crates, and shrugged. There was nothing. They were pretty much screwed. "Protect ourselves with what?"  
  
Draco sighed and began to pull himself up off the floor "Well, I'd like to be able to put my faith in the Karate kid, but I think we need something else.. The cupboard room down the end, check in there"  
  
Ron nodded and headed off quickly towards the end of the room, while Draco cursed as he stood up with whatever was still lodged in his buttock.  
  
Ron returned minutes later with the only things he had been able to find. Two pairs of big boots that looked like they belonged to cave trolls.  
  
Draco looked at Ron dubiously "Well that's great Weasley. When Voldemort comes we can kick him in the shins..."  
  
"You don't know its Voldemort" Ron said indignantly, the fear in his stomach tripling at the thought  
  
"You're right, its probably an army of midgets causing all that ruckus" Draco replied "Lucky you found those boots"  
  
"What are you? Ron said, starting to lose his temper "The fucking sarcastic commander?!"  
  
There was a loud bang on the door, and Draco grabbed a hold of Ron, pulling him in front of him.  
  
There was another bang and the door flew open, Hermione and Harry came running in, followed by Filch.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione gasped, out of breath "It's Ginny...!"  
  
  
  
_______  
  
_______  
  
A/N. I know the Molly/Lupin/Ginny scenario isn't highly probable, but I care not. It suits the story and it's needs. Thanks to all my loffly loffly reviewers (Merelyn, Lady Rose, Lucky, Cherry [my wonderful britpickee] and Kelly) Review again, and I may just write more. Thanks to my Ali-phant, for not reading but being such an encouragingly knarly beast anyway ;) I lub you, you big plebe. 


	3. Chapter 3

Thankyou all my loffly reviewers, I am sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Next one up v. soon!  
Too Much Of Not Enough ~  
Disclaimer: Yeah. I own it. I also own God, and the artist formally known as Prince.  
  
Also, this is a Ron/Draco fic. It will be SLASHY SLASHY SLASHY eventually. Don't like it. Don't read it.  
  
I love constructive critisism, however, flames will be mocked, and mocked, and mocked some more  
Chapter 3-  
Ron lurched forward, grabbing Hermione by the shoulders "What about Ginny? " spluttered, his head spinning violently with unpleasant thoughts.  
  
"What in god's name are you doing with those boots?" Filch interrupted  
  
Ron ignored him; his full attention was focused on his friends, his eyes pleading with them, imploring. Hermione was out of breath "She.. Something's.happened.your.mum is.here.she"  
  
His heart was beating in his throat now, and the words came out in a rush "What happened?! She can't be hurt?!... She's at Beauxbatons" Ron paled "Was there an explosion there too?!"  
  
Hermione's face changed then, a look of confusion, and something else.perhaps worry? spread across her face. He'd seen that look before, but he couldn't quite place it. "Ron" she said slowly, as though she was talking to a child who'd just stuck a Viktor Krum figurine up his nose "What explosion are you talking about"  
  
She thinks I'm mad. Ron thought. That was it. The look. It was pity.  
  
"What explosion am I talking about?!" he yelled angrily "Are you daft? The two explosions that almost brought down Hogwarts!"  
  
"There were two explosions then.?" Harry said dubiously. His look mirrored Hermione's.  
  
"Yes, there were two." Ron glanced around the room helplessly "Look at this place! I'm not bloody starkers you know, it happened!" he spun around and pointed at Draco "Ask him!"  
  
Everyone's attentions turned to the blond Slytherin, who promptly chuckled and made an exploding gesture with his hands "kaaboom!" he said, slurring his words slightly. What the hell is wrong with him? Ron thought. Draco looked paler than usual and almost sweaty, and his eyes were glazed over. Ron's eyes moved downwards and he realised his trousers were now soaked in blood.  
  
"Oh! Oh shit! He fell on something when the explosion went off" Ron said quickly "We had better get him to Madame Pomfrey..."  
  
"Nonsense Weasel" Draco drawled, moving towards him with a lopsided grin on his face "I'm perfectly fi-"  
  
Hermione yelped as Draco fainted at her feet, his head hitting the cement with a dull thud. Without a word Filch went to him, grabbing the unconscious boy in his arms and hurrying out of the room.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence as the trio stood nervously in the overlarge room, avoiding each other's gaze.  
  
Hermione finally spoke "Ron.It's not that we don't believe you, we just didn't hear-"  
  
"It doesn't matter" Ron snapped irritably "Where's my mum?"  
  
It didn't take Ron long to get to Dumbledore's office. Hermione and Harry were straggling behind him, but he was full of adrenaline; his stomach churning with thoughts of what had happened to his little sister. Surely she wasn't.had she found out about Lucius? Something happened to her, but what? Would he ever see her again? Visions of death and horrific injury flooded his mind, and he pushed them all away angrily. Perhaps he was going mad after all. Perhaps there were no explosions. Perhaps he was imagining everything and he'd wake up in Mungo's in three years time yelling insanities about Draco's troll boots and the end of the world.  
  
Dumbledore was waiting for him. He looked extremely tired. He always looked so exhausted these days. There were worry lines etched across his face. It occurred to Ron that perhaps something was terribly wrong that the students weren't being told about and he made a mental note to ask Hermione about it later.  
  
Dumbledore gestured toward Hermione and Harry, indicating that they stay behind, and escorted Ron shuffling down the small hallway. When he got to the office Molly Weasley attacked him. She scooped him into her arms, hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe, and he squirmed a little in her grasp. His mother was weeping now and she kept saying "Oh Ron.!" as though he'd returned from the dead. Finally he got out of his mother's stronghold, and realised Bill was in the room too. He gave Ron a sad half- smile.  
  
"What's going on?" Ron demanded his voice cracking slightly with nerves. "What's happened to Ginny?"  
  
Molly Weasley began to sob, and Bill put a comforting arm around her shoulders.  
  
"She's missing Ron" Bill said, his voice was calm, but his face defied him. He was worried. Really worried. "They've got a whole lot of people looking, but No one's seen her since Wednesday."  
  
Ron shook his head "She can't have just disappeared.where could she go?"  
  
There was silence in the room. Ron knew it was a dumb question, if they knew, she wouldn't be missing. He felt nauseated.  
  
Bill cleared his throat."Ron, it's.."He trailed off, clearing his throat again "All her stuff is still at Beauxbatons. Her journal, all her clothes except the ones she was wearing. everything. And.and there were marks on her bed."  
  
"Someone's taken her." Ron completed for him, and Bill nodded. Dumbledore sighed, putting a comforting hand on his Molly's shoulder as she began to cry once again. Ron felt as though he was going to be sick. His hearing became clouded, like he was inside a massive seashell. Dumbledore was speaking, but only empty noises sounded in his ears. Someone had Ginny. Someone who did not intend to have her for very long. He remembered the last time Ginny had been missing; when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, and maybe it was his imagination, but this time it felt worse. Something was very wrong about this scenario. He could feel it like the sweat growing on the back of his neck.  
  
The sound of his mother's weary voice jolted him out of his stupor.  
  
".And your father is over at Beauxbatons doing everything he can. Everyone is doing what he or she can. Lucius Malfoy is over there-"  
  
"What?" Anger replaced Ron's worry for his sister, his voice unable to hide his resentment "What's he doing there?"  
  
"He's the head of the ministry of magic dear" Molly said vaguely, evidently unaware of Ron's glowering ".they're investigating."  
  
"You might as well be aware Ron." Dumbledore said heavily "Someone conjured the dark mark at Beauxbatons the night before Ginny disappeared. It is all being investigated."  
  
Ron felt as though he'd been hit in the chest, the air leaving his lungs in a whoosh. He grabbed a hold of the side of Dumbledore's desk to steady himself. Of all the possible scenarios he had not considered the worst one of all. But then.it couldn't possibly be.surely.it wasn't even conceivable.  
  
"Most assuredly a hoax.a scare tactic from one of the last remaining Death eaters." Dumbledore continued "but all avenues have to be investigated."  
  
Ron nodded vaguely, looking from his mother to his older brother for more of an explanation. But none came.  
  
~*~  
  
The next few days were a blur as Ron went through his routines in a kind of empty trance. Dumbledore had cancelled his detentions, and all his Professors (with the exception of Snape) were being very lenient, but he didn't feel any better for it. There was constant weight in his chest. He felt so damn helpless it had become irritating to him. Surely there was something useful he could be doing? He had begged his mother to let him go over to Beauxbatons and look for her, but everyone seemed to agree that everything possible was being done, and it was better for him to stay and keep his mind on school. Fat bloody chance. All he could think about was Ginny, and his father.. and Lucius Malfoy. He often wondered how he felt about Ginny being missing. Could he possibly care? Was he worried? Ron reprimanded himself for even considering the possibility. He'd only be worried that he'd lose his blackmail clout. After all, it was Lucius Malfoy who had tricked Ginny into taking Tom Riddle's journal her first year. He didn't care if she lived or died. Ron's eyes clouded slightly. He was a stupid scummy bastard. All the Malfoy's were.  
  
There were many pairs of eyes on him as Ron walked into the dining hall for breakfast that morning. It had only taken hours before the news of Ginny's disappearance had spread throughout the school, and had immediately become the hottest point of gossip. Ron had already become accustomed to the hushed tones behind hands whenever he was near. As far as he was concerned there were more important things to worry about than whether or not Pansy Parkinson and her gaggle of friends were talking about him. Harry moved over on the seat as Ron approached, and he plonked himself down at the Gryffindor table, taking a piece of toast and biting into it hungrily.  
  
"Morning" Harry said, and Ron grunted in reply.  
  
"Aren't you going to put anything on that? " Hermione asked, looking up from her copy of The Daily Prophet. Ron shook his head, and smiled at her through toast-covered teeth, in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. Harry and Hermione, although almost as worried as he was, had been trying very hard to keep his mind off Ginny by keeping him exceptionally busy. Harry was constantly asking him to go and play Quidditch, or Chess, or Exploding snap, while Hermione had seemed to think the best way for him to keep busy was to pore over extremely large study books in the library.  
  
He was very grateful for both of them.  
  
"So the mails been delivered already?" Ron asked casually  
  
Harry nodded, and a grin spread across his face "Justin Flinch Fletchley got a howler from his mother; something about his Cat Alforth leaving a little 'present' in his Dad's slippers."  
  
Ron chuckled slightly before he spoke again "Nothing for me then?" he asked lightly.  
  
Harry bit down on a rasher of bacon and shook his head, Hermione looked like she was going to cry and buried her head in the newspaper.  
  
"Still no news is good news right?" Neville said, wiping some porridge from the corner of his mouth "At least you know Ginny isn't - OWWW!" Neville yelled as two separate feet connected with his shin.  
  
There was a stifled pause among the three of them.  
  
"Well, I'm full" Ron said quickly "Think I'll go wash up before Divination."  
  
He exited before Hermione could protest.  
  
__  
  
The showers were empty when Ron got there; everyone showered before breakfast usually, so he knew he'd be alone, and he was glad. He was beginning to tire of the sad looks he was being given. He appreciated that they cared, but most of the time it did nothing more than make him feel worse. He liked being alone. It was almost calming.  
  
Trelawney wouldn't care that he was late, she'd most likely make it out to be some cosmic force telling her that he was going to die in a couple of days. He undressed quickly and stepped under the needling hot water, putting his head under the spray and making his hair flatten to the sides of his head. Beads of water ran along the length of his nose and face, his eyes dully stinging.  
  
Finally, and quite reluctantly Ron turned off the water and grabbed his towel. He was drying his face when he heard a noise, and stuck his head out of the cubicle to see Draco Malfoy walking into the bathrooms. If you could call it walking, he had been hobbling around since the incident at detention where he'd gotten a sharp something or other lodged in his backside. Ron's nose wrinkled in disgust and he wrapped the towel quickly around his waist and hurriedly got out of the stall, grabbing his cloak and wrapping it around his torso as a kind of shield.  
  
"What are you doing in the Gryffindor bathrooms?" Ron demanded, consciously aware he'd left his chudley cannons briefs on the floor and praying that Malfoy wouldn't see them.  
  
Draco looked up at him, his face contorting into its trademark sneer "Well it wasn't for the view Weasley" he said, "I needed to talk to you, and I thought, where would a big stupid Weasley go to sulk? .and sure enough, here you are"  
  
"I'm not sulking!" Ron said indignantly "I was just washing."  
  
Draco nodded "Good thing too, although I don't suppose it will help your face at all"  
  
"Sod off" Ron replied ".I need to get dressed so I can go to class"  
  
Draco sat down on the side of the bench, wincing very slightly "We have to talk about that... thing that happened the other day...the explosions..." He paused "No one will believe me when I say it happened. They all think I fell over because you beat me up."  
  
Ron grinned suddenly "Not doing wonders for your reputation is it Malfoy?"  
  
"Oh, Shut up you retarded garden gnome" Draco said, annoyed "You heard the explosions too. Something should be done about it. I mean, this is a bloody wizard school isn't it?"  
  
Ron shook his head "Dumbledore said it was most likely the new room being temperamental. They do strange things all the time you know Rooms vanish.rooms rebuild.. rooms also go ...bang apparently."  
  
"After what's happened with your sister you actually believe that?" Draco said  
  
Ron turned on him, his face stony "Don't talk to me about Ginny"  
  
Draco smirked and made a dismissive gesture with his hand "I don't see why you're so upset. There are so many Weasleys in your family, I'd hardly think it would matter if one of them carked it in the aid of the Dark Lord- "  
  
Ron was over at Draco in a instant, holding him tightly by the cuff of his shirt, his eyes flashing with rage "What do you know about my sister? Where have they taken her?"  
  
"Get off me Weasel" Draco growled, but Ron paid no attention, tightening his grip.  
  
"What do you know Malfoy?!" he said, his voice agitated "Tell me, or I swear I'll kill you right here!"  
  
"Nothing! I don't know." Draco stuttered, starting to feel panicked "I didn't mean.I don't know what's happened Weasley!! It's what everyone is saying! I was just trying to piss you off for fuckssake!"  
  
Ron looked at him searchingly, his dark eyes scanning the pale boys face. Finally he let go of him, roughly shoving him off the bench.  
  
"Get out" Ron said finally, grabbing his robes that had fallen to the floor in his outburst, and turning away from Draco.  
  
Draco didn't move.  
  
"Are you deaf as well as evil?" Ron snapped, facing him "I said get out!"  
  
"I have some things to say," Draco said calmly, returning Ron's vicious gaze.  
  
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"  
  
"Firstly Weasley." Draco interrupted "I think you are in serious need of anger management counselling"  
  
Ron looked defiant "That's swell advice coming from he who is the spawn of Satan, but if you are going to keep talking would you turn around so I can dress myself and avoid dying of pneumonia?"  
  
Draco moved awkwardly on the bench till he was facing the wall and continued to talk as if nothing had happened "Secondly.I think we need to address the issue of random explosions at Hogwarts seriously."  
  
Ron pulled up his trousers "Look Malfoy" he snarled "I'm not going to waste my time on this just because your pride has been dented, there are more important things for me to worry about-"  
  
Draco waved his hand in the air "Yes, yes, I know. The case of the missing Weasley. How tragic."  
  
Ron didn't reply, trying to concentrate on doing up his tie and resisting the urge to beat Malfoy's blasé head in.  
  
"You really care about her don't you?" Draco asked scornfully, turning to face Ron ".this whole thing, with her being missing, it's driving you mad."  
  
"I know it's hard for you to understand" Ron spat angrily "If I had a family as hateful as yours I wouldn't care about them either!"  
  
Draco's mouth opened to reply, but nothing came out. Ron felt a pang of guilt in his stomach when he realised that Malfoy actually looked hurt. Ron turned abruptly on his heel and stormed out of the bathrooms, slamming the door behind him. God, Malfoy was an idiot, he thought crossly, he was total arse, and still managed to make him feel bad about- Ron's train of thought was interrupted as he saw an object he had seen only once in his lifetime. His jaw dropped. He clenched and unclenched his hands nervously. And then he turned and ran, terrified, back into the bathrooms he had just exited.  
  
Draco no longer looked hurt, and his usual twisted sneer was plastered across his face as Ron came flying into the room "What on earth is wrong with you Weasley? Someone put a spider in your robes or something?"  
  
Ron shook his head, out of breath "Da.Da.Da.."  
  
"What the fuck is a Dadada?"  
  
There was a scream from outside and Draco looked up, looking startled.  
  
"The Dark Mark" Ron said finally, trying to compose himself "Someone has conjured the Dark Mark."  
  
There were more and more noises from outside. Another yelp. People running. Draco looked at Ron questioningly "Inside of Hogwarts? That's not possible."  
  
Ron shrugged helplessly and followed Draco out the door and down into the hallway where a crowd had gathered. A low uneasy murmur the only noticeable sound, as they all stared worriedly at the large transparent green skull with the snake protruding from its mouth, hovering ominously above the entrance to the Slytherin quarters.  
__  
  
"How was divination? Hermione said as Ron and Harry met her in the library "What horrific deaths will you be undergoing this week?"  
  
Ron smiled "Gee Herm, if I didn't know better I'd think you thought Trelawney's a fraud or something"  
  
"She is appalling" Harry said crossly, throwing his books on the table "She said.She said."  
  
"She said I'd lose someone in my family" Ron finished for him, shrugging it off lightly "She's astute that one".  
  
Hermione mumbled something that sounded like "witch" under her breath. Harry and her both looked so angry for him he wanted to laugh and hug them at the same time.  
  
Ron sat down next to them and patted Hermione's hand gently "S'ok, I was ready for it, with something as easy as that, how could she resist? At least she laid off Harry for once".  
  
There was silence for a moment until Hermione evidently could hold it in no longer "Oh Ron!" she cried, bursting into tears and throwing her arms him, hugging him tightly "I'm so scared for Ginny.I.I.I am so upset for you...It's all just awful!" she could say no more, bursting into another cacophony of sobs.  
  
"Its Ok Herm" Ron replied, touched by her outburst. He hugged her back awkwardly, causing a table of Ravenclaws nearby to titter. "It'll be okay." Ron continued, wondering how much he believed what he was saying.  
  
Harry grinned slightly and spoke up "I suppose this would be a bad time to bring up what you told me in class Ron.?"  
  
Hermione sat up straight and wiped at her face "If you are talking about someone conjuring the dark mark I already know."  
  
"Wow, news travels fast" Ron said, amazed.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore told me" Hermione continued, composing herself "Harry and I have to meet with him later today".  
  
"Ah" Ron said, feeling slightly flustered "Right, Head boy and girl and all that."  
  
"It's probably nothing to worry about Ron" Hermione said, retaining a slightly superior tone "Some half-witted Slytherin thinking it would be a funny joke".  
  
Ron twirled his quill distractedly "Ever notice when someone says it's probably a prank it never is?"  
  
Harry looked thoughtful, and he looked at Ron seriously "You said Malfoy was there, maybe he conjured it to scare everyone."  
  
"Perhaps" Ron replied slowly "But, he didn't really seem like someone who'd just conjured the dark mark."  
  
"He seemed different?" Hermione said abruptly "Maybe Lucius has him under an imperius spell. Or someone is using polyjuice potion to be him"  
  
"How did Malfoy seem?" Harry asked.  
  
"Er, Smug. Smarmy Annoying and evil" Ron replied, shaking his head "The usual. I said he didn't seem like someone who'd just conjured the Dark Mark, I didn't say he seemed any different"  
  
"So then he could have conjured it?" Hermione asked  
  
"Yeah, I suppose"  
  
Harry and Hermione looked as though this settled everything  
  
"I bet he did it just to prove he could" Harry said irritably "Typical Malfoy"  
  
Ron had been meaning to tell them about the Dark Mark being conjured the night before Ginny's disappearance, but somewhere between being annoyed about his friends determination to pin it on Malfoy, and then promptly being even more annoyed by the fact that he cared at all, he forgot.  
  
That's why he felt so bad the next morning at breakfast when Dumbledore announced that a first year Slytherin girl called Alison Collins had gone missing overnight. 


End file.
